Financial analysts | Data USA (2024)

FAQs

Is financial analyst a good career in USA? ›

They Earn a Competitive Salary

Even though Financial Analysts work long hours and sometimes must handle a lot of stress in the workplace, these professionals are well-compensated for their efforts. In 2021, the average salary in the U.S. for a Financial Analyst was $96,000.

The average financial analyst salary in the USA is $82,493 per year or $39.66 per hour. Entry level positions start at $65,062 per year while most experienced workers make up to $110,000 per year.

There were over 373,000 available Financial Analyst positions in 2021. The unemployment was 4.1% for Financial Analysts in 2021. In the decade from 2021-2031, financial analytics is projected to experience a 9% growth rate. This is above the national average.

In this highly competitive job market, a master's degree gives an applicant a boost. A successful career as a financial analyst requires strong quantitative skills, expert problem-solving abilities, adeptness in logic, and above-average communication skills.

As with any industry, the totals can vary by area, but about half of FAs make around or more than $100k / year. Meaning that you have about a 50% shot at making six figures or more as an FA.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is particularly vital for Financial Analysts, who often face long hours, tight deadlines, and the stress of high-stakes decision-making.

How long does it take to become a financial analyst? You can become a financial analyst within four years, or the time it takes you to earn a bachelor's degree. Depending on the type of work you plan to do, it may take additional time to earn licensure through FINRA as well.

Financial Analyst Degree and Educational Requirements. There is no specific degree required for a career as a financial analyst, but finding a job will probably be easier if you have a bachelor's degree, and most companies require it. Nearly all financial analysts start with an internship or entry-level position.

Minimum GPA: Minimum cumulative 3.3 GPA required, 3.5 GPA preferred. Certifications: All are optional: Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA), Certified Public Accountant® (CPA), or MBA.

Not to mention, human financial analysts bring creativity and critical thinking AI doesn't tend to possess. So, it is unlikely that AI will fully replace financial analysts, or at least any time in the near future. Instead, they may work together to improve efficiency and accuracy in decision-making processes.

What degree do most financial analysts have? ›

Becoming a financial analyst generally requires a bachelor's degree open_in_new, though a master's in finance or business administration may be beneficial when seeking advanced roles.

The workforce of Financial analysts in 2021 was 273,293 people, with 41.4% woman, and 58.6% men. The average age of male Financial analysts in the workforce is 37.6 and of female Financial analysts is 40.6, and the most common race/ethnicity for Financial analysts is White.

The field is also growing at a steady pace. The BLS projects employment for financial and investment analysts to grow by 8% from 2022 to 2032, which is faster than the average projected growth for all jobs. This amounts to about 29,000 new financial analyst jobs by 2032.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that business and finance jobs will be in demand from 2022 to 2032, with 911,400 openings on average each year. Certain roles within finance, like financial examiner, are expected to grow over six times faster than the rate for all occupations nationwide.

Work for a wide range of employers.

A minimum of a bachelor's degree is required for nearly all finance professions. Whether you want to work on Wall Street, for the SEC, or a financial planning consultancy, a finance degree will give you the foundational knowledge you need to start your career.

Most financial analysts work 40 hours a week during regular office hours. However, your employer might ask you to arrive early, stay late or work over the weekend when you have a deadline approaching.